October 7 is National LED Light Day. It became formally recognized as an industry holiday in 2016 to celebrate the invention and benefits of LED lighting. National LED Light Day also brings awareness of how LEDs compare to traditional incandescent bulbs, and how they can light the way toward a more sustainable future.
What are LEDs and how do they work?
Have you ever been at a traffic light waiting for a red light to turn green, looked down at a digital watch to see what time it was, or turned on a flatscreen TV to watch the latest episode of your favorite show? If so, then you have interacted with LED lights.
LEDs stand for light-emitting diodes, which are semiconductors that convert electricity as it passes through a microchip to create visible light.
The science behind LEDs, also known as electroluminescence, is that as electricity converts to light, electrons move across the semiconductor and reconnect with electron holes, causing a release of energy. Those electrons then become photons or light particles.
Source: ledlightingsupply.com
The movement is based on extra electrons (n-type material) moving from the negatively charged area to extra electron holes (p-type material) in the positively charged area.
How LEDs came to be
The discovery of LEDs has a long and storied history of discovery and evolution. The person credited with creating the first visible LED was award-winning engineer and educator Nick Holonyak Jr. In 1962, Holonyak made a diode device that emitted red light by using semiconductor material gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) and the technique of stimulated emission.
Although the first visible LED light was created over 60 years ago, the study and development of the actual technology had taken place decades before that!
The concept and phenomenon of electroluminescence, mentioned earlier in this piece, was discovered by Henry Joseph Round and published in 1907!
After witnessing a greenish light emission by a passing current through a semiconductor in 1927, Russian scientist Oleg Losev was the first to report his findings on the possibility of LEDs and their practical use.
In 1952, physicist Kurt Lehovec tested and explained how LEDs worked based on Losev’s findings, and the first green LED light was developed in the late 1950s by physicists Rubin Braunstein and Egon Loebner.
After Holonyak’s breakthrough creation of the first visible LED light in 1962, other LED colors, like yellow, blue, and white, followed decades later.
LED lighting vs Incandescent lighting
As LEDs have evolved, it has gone from experimental, niche technology to an industry staple in the lighting market. The LED is today’s most energy-efficient and rapidly developing innovation. By 2035, most lighting installations in the U.S. are expected to use LED technology. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LEDs use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Incandescent lighting usage has lessened considerably over the years, thanks to federal mandates promoting energy efficiency, like the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Usage of incandescent lighting has also decreased due to the amount of heat, lifespan, and light output compared to LEDs. Check out the chart below to learn more about why LED light bulbs are outperforming incandescent light bulbs.
You can read more on how LED compares to incandescent, other types of lighting like compact fluorescent lighting (CFLs), and why you should make the switch here.
Sources: blog.feslighting.com & liveelectronicsgroup.com
Sustainable benefits of LED lighting
The previous section touches upon some of the benefits of LED lighting when compared to more traditional bulbs. But, the benefits of LED lighting go further than outputs, lifespans, and a bigger return on investment in terms of long-term costs.
LEDs are also energy-efficient. With its mercury-free material for safe and easy disposal, using less heat to fully operate, and producing less pollution from needing fewer replacements, LEDs can light the way toward a more sustainable future.
By 2035, not only are LEDs anticipated to be the most widely used lighting installations in the U.S., but energy savings from LED lighting could exceed 569 terawatt-hours (TWh), which is equivalent to the annual energy output of more than 92 1,000-megawatt (MW) power plants.
Celebrate LED Light Day every day with CES
LEDs have continued to make their mark in commercial, industrial, and residential markets. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LEDs are increasingly common in street lights, parking garage lighting, walkway and other outdoor area lighting, refrigerated case lighting, modular lighting, and task lighting.
LED under-cabinet lighting and recessed downlights have also become a staple in home kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and corporate offices. City Electric Supply (CES) offers everything contractors need to plan, install, and maintain LED lighting systems across a variety of environments.
Visit your local CES branch or go to cityelectricsupply.com/lighting for high-performance LED lighting fixtures.